Lindale area one step closer to going wet

Lindale and the rest of northwestern Smith County could be wet by the time Christmas rolls around.

The Committee for Economic Growth filed thousands of petition signatures Friday with the Smith County Elections office. The group said it got more than the 2;574 needed to put the issue on the ballot but it still expects some heavy opposition.

"Look at Winona. They don't even have a grocery store," Myrtle Harris said. "I go through Winona and all they have is a liquor store out there and people waddling around on the streets drunk."

"Do you want your kids driving to Winona to get alcohol and come back on that dark road drunk? No," Jean Pines said. "We're losing too much revenue to the other cities around us unnecessarily. You know you know you go to Walmart and you get alcohol over there, wine or whatever, and while you're there you do your shopping and our local store misses out."

The pro-development group expects alcohol sales in restaurants and stores to bring in $300,000 extra dollars every year.

The Smith County Elections office has 30 days to verify the signatures prior to certifying questions of closed container beer and wine sales and restaurant mixed drink sales for the November 4 ballot.